Obesity Academy

In 2019, around 45% of adults residing in the European Union were within the healthy weight range, while slightly over half (53%) were classified as overweight, which included 36% categorized as pre-obese and 17% as obese, based on their body mass index (BMI). Furthermore, almost 3% of adults were underweight.
With the exception of those aged 75 or over, the older the age group, the higher the share of overweight people: the lowest share was recorded among those aged 18 to 24 (25%), while those aged 65 to 74 had the highest share (66%) – similarly for the obesity rate (6% vs 22%).
In case of the UK, The Health Survey for England 2021 estimates that 25.9% of adults in England are obese and a further 37.9% are overweight but not obese. The survey also found that men are more likely than women to be overweight or obese (68.6% of men, 59.0% of women). People aged 45-74 are most likely to be overweight or obese. Given its swift expansion, researchers now regard obesity as a global epidemic.

Obesity is associated with an elevated risk of developing numerous physical and mental health problems. People with obesity are more likely to experience:

• All-causes of death (mortality)
• High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (dyslipidemia)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)
• Sleep apnea and breathing problems
• Many types of cancer
• Low quality of life
• Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders
• Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning